Wives' earnings and marital instability: Another look at the independence effect

Abstract

The utilitarian independence effect framework ignores important sociological factors resulting in a substantive misinterpretation of the relationship between wives' earning potential and marital instability. Previous studies also had empirical problems which led to an overestimate of the size of the independence effect. Using data from The Panel Study of Income Dynamics for the years 1968–1972, estimates of the probability of divorce or separation were made on a sample of 1855 families. Some qualified support for the independence effect hypothesis is found. But, it is also shown that the measured effects of wives' earnings on marital instability result, to some extent, from “role overload” and forgone opportunities for status enhancement. The possible impact of unobserved attitudes related to both nonemployment of wives and marital instability is discussed.